Scars
by StarShot
Summary: Fear can do many things--and one of those is force silence. No one knows the truth behind what is really going on between Ueno and 17=-year-old Sakura, but soon, the harsh reality will come out...
1. Prologue

Scars 

Scars

Prologue

Hello everybody. This is the first long dark fic I've ever written, but it doesn't mean you can't still flame me. Don't own this.

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Ueno Tsuruyama looked like everything you could want in a boyfriend. He had clear blue eyes; a square, sharp-cut face; broad shoulders; a fit, well-muscled body; and hands that looked gentle. Gentle and kind. 

But they were ever so not.

At times, they seemed kind. Like when he'd brush a strand of hair away from his girlfriend's face. Sakura would look up at him, then, and she'd smile.

But if you looked hard, you could see the touch of fear in her eyes.

Syaoran Li did not look like everything you wanted in a boyfriend. He looked cold at times; but it was only shyness and the result of living with a family of sorcerers who didn't love him. His eyes were a sharp honey brown, but every once in a while you'd catch him looking at Sakura, and they'd soften. He had come to Tomoeda seven years ago, and ever since then he'd befriended a few people. A few fortunate people; nobody ever messed with his friends, because they knew he could kick their ass all over the school with ease.

Or at least, almost nobody.

Sakura knew better.

Sakura was what many people would call lucky. It wasn't the truth. What was the truth was that she was an incredible runner. What was true was that she was beautiful—she outmatched any of the girls in the school by far. But they didn't mind; she was too nice for them to be jealous. What was true was that she was in love with Syaoran Li.

But she was not lucky.

At the moment, she was cowering in a corner of the empty hall. It was after hours. She had just finished with track practice; Ueno had finished football practice early. He wanted her to walk home with him, but that meant Sakura would have to walk across town and then back to her own house. Ueno was not a gentleman, and he went home first. And he insisted she go with him.

And she was tired. It had been a long day at track practice. She wasn't even sure if she could make it home herself. "Ueno, I can't."

"Yes you can," he said, more than a touch of steel in his voice.

"I don't even know if I can make it back to my house. It was a hard practice."

"You're going to make it to my house first, and then you can rest and go to yours."

"I can't. I'm too tired." Sakura shut her locker, then swung her backpack on.

"Yes you can!"

"No, Ueno, I can't!"

That was the final straw for him. "SHUT YOUR MOUTH, YOU STUPID WHORE!"

Sakura saw the hand coming down and closed her eyes before it hit. His fist hit the side of her head, and she fell, skidding down the tiles of the deserted hall. Tears of pain filled her eyes, but she refused to let them fall. God, she wanted out of this relationship. Relationship? She thought sarcastically. It isn't a relationship. It's a slavery.

"Sakura?" Now Ueno was kneeling beside her. "Sakura, I'm so sorryI love you, you know that"

"Then why'd you hit me?" She asked icily.

His sweet, kind mask was lost again. "Now you listen to me, you little bitch," he growled, his hands locked around her shoulders and shoving her roughly into the lockers. "You don't talk to me like that _ever _or I'll make you pay for it. Do you understand me?"

"I do," she whispered. If she tried to stand up to him again, he'd hurt her some more. This wasn't the first time this had happened.

"GoodI love you, Sakura. You're the only one for me." He stood and offered her a hand. She hesitated for a moment, wanting to get up on her own, but if she did, he'd take it as a sign that she was still angry at him and probably hurt her again. Trembling, she took his hand and got to her feet. It looked like she'd be walking with him today.

Syaoran Li watched Sakura walk out with Ueno from the library window. If he had known what had happened in the hall, there would have been nothing to stand between him and pounding Ueno into a bloody pulp. But he didn't know; no one in the school knew what was really going on between Sakura and Ueno. 

He frowned and moved away, picking up his books and heading for the door. Ever since the two had started dating a year ago, he'd noticed a change in Sakura. She had hung out with him like usual at the beginning, but then she gradually had started becoming more and more distant. Now, he was lucky if she'd greet him in the hallways. The odd thing was that she didn't act as though she was angry with him; it was almost as if she was scared of talking to himor of what would happen if she talked to him. That worried him.

As of late, she'd lost her Sakura-ness. Her eyes had dulled, losing that sparkle. Her smiles were nervous and infrequent, unlike the days they'd been working together to capture the cards, and then turn them into Sakura cards. And strangely, she was almost never seen talking to another boy. Before Ueno and her had dated, she'd chatted with them, being like a sister many of them had never had. She'd offer her opinions on whatever they were talking about—even sports. They'd treated her like one of the guys.

But then she'd started going out with Ueno, and the chats with other boys became more and more scarce. Syaoran knew that the other guys hadn't changed that much.

That left Sakura.

Or, more importantly, whoever it was that was making her change.

He swung his backpack on and started to shut his locker, then noticed a dent in the door. _A dent? _Bending down, he studied it further, then looked around to make sure no one was watching and studied it with his magic. Flashes of a scene came to him.

__

"Shut your mouth, you stupid whore!" The voice echoed across the past –link, distorted. It didn't sound like anyone he knew. There was a cry of pain, and a blurry form slid across the tiles. He couldn't make out either the girl's face or the boy's. The scene wavered for a minute, and when it came back the boy had his victim slammed into his locker, the pressure making a dimple the size of his fist where the girl's shoulder was jammed into the door. _"You don't talk to me like that _ever _or I'll make you pay for it. Do you understand me?"_

"I do" The soft voice shook, but he couldn't tell whose it was. _Damn it! Why can't this spell actually transit the voices like they are? _

The vision broke up, and he sat back, stunned. Someone in this school was abusing their girlfriend, and that was anything but right. _Who is it? _He wondered, frustration nearly driving him insane. _Why is she putting up with it? How could this get past the teachers?_

And what am I going to do about it?

It wasn't right; that was for sure. If only he knew who they were, he could confront them. Or at least, do something about it. But he didn't, and that was all the problem. _What am I supposed to do? Walk up to the guidance counselor and say "Hey, my magic said that someone in this school is beating up their girlfriend, but I don't know who it is and I just thought I'd tell you"? _

This was seriously bothering him. Standing, he shut the door with a bang. He was going to find whoever it was. And he was going to make him pay. Damn it, was he ever going to make them pay. Of the few things that made him disgusted, abusing someone like this was on the top of his list. _But I'm going to need help_

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Okay, that's it for the prologue. I know, short as hell. And it really isn't my typical style. But I think it's going to come out okay. Feel free to review, or even better, you can e-mail me at star_shot_indigo@hotmail.com. Go on, make my day.


	2. I Saw Eternity the Other Night

Scars 

Scars

Chapter One: I saw Eternity the other night

I don't own this. This is a dark fic. No more needs to be said.

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__

I saw Eternity the other night

Like a great ring of pure and endless light

All was calm, as it was bright

And round beneath it, Time, in hours, days, years,

Driven by the spheres,

Like a vast shadow moved, in which the world

And all her train were hurled.

*********

Sakura Kinomoto rested in the bathtub, trying to soak away that afternoon. Her head was still sore, protesting the blow that had been dealt to it by her boyfriend; her entire back hurt, feeling like one giant bruise. Ugly floor burns had streaked her legs in angry red welts that wouldn't fade for a while. She would have to wear knee socks for the next few weeks to hide them.

Why did Ueno have to choose her, of all people? All Sakura wanted from that relationship was _out._ How had she let herself even get sucked into this hell? She should have backed out the first time he'd struck her, that was for sure. But nohe'd looked at her with those pleading blue eyes, said he loved her. And she'd believed him.

And that was the biggest mistake of her life. 

He'd been nice after thatfor a little while. But then she'd talked to another boy.

*Flashback*

"Sothe track record for the fifty yard dash was 5.2?" She asked the captain of the track team.

"The record _was _5.2," He replied with a grin. They were chatting comfortably, like the friends they were. "Now it's five flat, thanks to you."

She laughed. "It's not that big of a deal, you know."

"Sure it is." He was about to add something when Ueno came over, frowning.

"Sakura, can I talk to you?" He asked, something cold in his voice. "In private?"

"Umyeah," she said confusedly, and followed him to the other side of the school, where no one else was in earshot.

That should have been the first sign that something was wrong. If she yelled, no one would hear her.

"What was that?" He demanded, a look in his eyes that scared her.

"What do you mean?"

"You were flirting with him," he accused.

"I don't know what you mean." She took a step back at the expression on his face. "We're just friends."

"Don't lie, Sakura." He seized her arm. 

"Let me go!" She struggled to pull away. "I didn't do anything!"

"Don't lie to me, bitch!" He struck her across the face, and she cried out. "If I ever see you flirting with that jackass, I'll beat the shit out of you! Is that clear?"

She shook. This was a side of him that she'd never seen.

"Whore! Is that clear?" He demanded, his face a few inches from hers. Sakura nodded violently, and he pushed her to the ground. "Don't forget."

*End Flashback*

A tear silently rolled down her cheek. If only she'd said no when he'd asked her out for the first time Ueno had seemed like a quiet, shy boy when he'd approached her in the beginning. "Sakuraum, I–I like you," he had said softly, "and I waswondering if you'd go out with me." She had been surprised. The look in his eyes was too pleading for her to say no, and she'd stepped into this nightmare. She had felt guilty about dating Ueno, as if she was betraying Syaoran in some way, but he hadn't broken up with her after the first month like she'd expected him to, and she didn't have the heart to let him down.

And then he'd started hitting her.

The time behind the school had been the second instance. The first time he'd hit her was when she had forgotten to call him, and after that he'd said he loved her, acted so kind and sorry that her heart had melted and she couldn't bring herself to tell him what she really wanted–to leave. 

And then, after he'd started to beat her, she was too afraid. "You tell anyone, and I'll kill you," he had snarled. "You leave me and I'll kill you."

She didn't doubt it.

If Syaoran knew, he would try to protect her, she knew that. But if he knew, he would also try to intervene and then he would get hurt. She loved him, she really did. But she could never let him know.

She'd have to stay with Ueno forever. Or until he decided he was tired of her.

And there was nothing she could do about it.

The young warrior stared at the ceiling, eyes focused ahead. Frustration and anger darkened the russet depths, burning in his face. _Who could it be? _He wondered hopelessly. _Is she being beaten right now?_ Guilt plagued him. Should he have told someone about what he'd seen? But how could he excuse it? There was no place for him to have hidden in the hallway, and he was sure the guy who was doing this was going to make sure no one could witness his antagonism. The only way to say he'd seen what happened was to tell them he had magic, and that meant he'd most likely be hauled off for drug testing.

But what could he do? Being this helpless never made him vey happy

"Miss Kinomoto?" 

"What?" She sat up straight, blinking. "What did I miss?"

There were giggles around the classroom, and she flushed, embarrassed, as the teacher said sternly, "The answer to number eleven, if you please. And today, Miss Kinomoto."

"Yes ma'am," she said softly. Normally this teacher was nice to her, but lately she'd been caught daydreaming in class a lot and as a result she suspected she'd dropped more than a few places on the favorites list. "The volume of the sphere is 324 pi cubic centimeters."

"Very good. Tonight's homework is problems twelve through thirty-five, page two hundred and seven." The teacher closed her book with a sharp snap as the bell rang. "Miss Kinomoto, will you please stay after class for a word? Your next teacher will understand."

Puzzled, she nodded. As soon as the last student had left and she was waiting at the desk, the teacher said, "Sakura, are you all right?"

"What?"

"Is there a problem you need to talk about?" Mrs. Shigetaka asked, concerned. "You haven't been acting like yourself lately."

"No," she said, trying to disguise her unease. "I'm fine."

"Really?" At Sakura's nod, she said, "If there's something wrong, you can always come to us, you know."

"I know." Sakura shifted from foot to foot. "May I go?"

The teacher nodded wearily, adding, "Don't forget your homework."

With a sigh, she dashed down the hall. Nobody could know

"Hey, Sakura." Yamazaki waved as he jogged past. It was another hot afternoon in track practice, but the good thing was that Ueno was gone today. 

"Hi, Yamazaki." She waved back, not afraid of Ueno seeing and getting angry. Bending down, she doused her head in water, then rinsed out her mouth and drank from the fountain. Her back was aching, but she couldn't let it stiffen up, and so track practice was a must. 

A slight groan wormed its way out of her vocal cords as pain laced up her spine momentarily. "Owwww," she muttered softly, stretching slowly and cringing.

"What is it?" A deep voice asked from behind her.

"What?" She turned and saw Syaoran. "Oh, nothing. I–I just fell down yesterday."

Something was not right in her tone as she said that, but he chose to ignore it. "Okay." Seeing her look like that was heart-wrenching–her eyes were dulled, her hair hanging limply around her face. It was as if the real Sakura was gone, and all that was left was a shell. Or a ghost. "Try to be a little more careful," He teased, trying to cheer her up. "I'm scared for the ground." 

She smiled, and a little bit of the sparkle came back into her eyes. "I will." She jogged away, and he watched her go, frowning. _Sakurawhat's happened to you?_

{AN: I know, CLUELESS!}

"Tomoyo?" 

The violet-eyed girl looked up from her sketchpad. Seeing the young warrior, she started to smile in a friendly welcome, but something made her stop. "What is it, Syaoran?"

He sat down across from her, something in his eyes. "Tomoyo, II found a dent in my locker a few days ago," he said softly, looking around to make sure nobody was listening. "I checked it with magic, and I saw something."

"What was it?" She asked. This had to be serious. 

"I saw someone beating their girlfriend with my magic," he said angrily. "But now I don't know what to do. I can't tell anyone, because I've got no proof. And I can't just stand here, because it isn't right."

"So why tell me?" she asked. 

"Because you're a girl. You can go places I can't."

"Like?"

"Like the girl's locker room." He looked away. "Or at the lunch tables. If I come by, the talk just stops. But you can go anywhere and listen to the gossip. I need to know who's got bruises on their arms or something, who's always getting hurt but they always make excuses for it that aren't that good."

"I know exactly what you mean," she said confidently. "I'll keep an eye out and see what I can find." 

"You will?" he asked, relief in his voice. "Thank you, Tomoyo. It–it isn't right, and I can't stand doing nothing."

"I know." She smiled reassuringly. "You can count on me."

__

Dear Diary,

I hate this. Just today, Syaoran talked to me, and I was too scared to say much because if someone told Ueno he'd kill him. Sometimes, I just want to use Erase and just wipe him out forever. But I think he'd find a way to come back. 

It isn't fair. I want to tell somebody–anybody–but then they could get hurt too, and that isn't right. 

Sometimes I wonder if it's my fault. I mean, he didn't start hitting me until I was talking to others. Do I deserve what I'm getting? Is it something I'm doing wrong? What if it is my fault?

I just want this nightmare to end. I want to be able to live like I used to. I want to be able to talk to my friends, and hang out with the guys like I used to. I just want my old life back. I want Ueno gone.

"Hey Sakura!" Kero floated out of the drawer as she shut her diary with a snap. Even he didn't know. Nobody knew. And that's the way she wanted it. 

"Hi Kero," she said distractedly, lost in thought. "What is it?"

"Sakura?" Yukito came into the room as Kero fell over, stiffened into a stuffed animal again. "Yue wanted to talk to you."

She nodded confusedly, and wings wrapped the boy's form. The usual impassive frown adorned his features as she asked, "What is it?"

"You've been hiding something, Card Mistress."

"What?" she gasped, paling.

He scowled. "Don't try to hide it. Why didn't you tell someone?"

"Tell someone what?" Kero asked, puzzled. "What's going on, Sakura?"

She looked helplessly at Yue, and he merely cocked an eyebrow. "Ueno–Ueno's been hitting me," she admitted softly.

"WHAT?!" Kero yelled furiously. Yue's eyes widened, but he made no comment. "Why are you still dating him, then?"

"But I'm not," she moaned, her head buried in her hands. "He makes me stay with him, because he says if I leave he'll kill me. And he's messed up enough to do it."

"Why haven't you told anyone?" Yue asked quietly.

"He said if I told, he'd kill me too." Her voice was muffled. "The bruises aren't enough to prove anything. He could just say we'd broken up, and I was trying to get revenge on him by getting him in trouble. And I could have just tripped in the hall, or something. Nobody would believe me." 

"The Li boy would," Yue said tonelessly.

She blushed. "I don't want him involved."

"What about Tomoyo?" Kero asked quizzically. "She'd believe you."

"But two people aren't enough," She said sadly. "Especially if one of them has a bias. Ueno could just say that we were trying to get revenge on him by ruining his reputation. And nobody's ever seen him hit me."

Yue's eyes carried a touch of concern. "This is not good, Sakura. You have to get out, and soon, or he'll keep bending you until you break."

"I know," she sighed. "I know"

__

"I saw Eternity the other night," Sakura breathed, reading out loud in class. 

__

"Like a great ring of pure and endless light

All was calm, as it was bright

And round beneath it, Time, in hours, days, years,

Driven by the spheres,

Like a vast shadow moved, in which the world

And all her train were hurled."

"Very good, Sakura," the teacher said approvingly. "You may sit down."

"Thank you." With an inner groan at the ache, she sat gingerly down. To any other person, it appeared that she was just lowering herself into her chair a little slower than usual. For her, it was carefully sitting down so as not to set off another round of the stabbing back pains she'd had since Ueno'd attacked her in the hallway. 

__

I saw Eternity the other night

She glanced at the other side of the room, where Syaoran was steadily gazing straight ahead. If she told him, would he hold her like he'd held her when Yukito had refused her? How stupid she'd been then, to not realize who it was she truly loved. How naïve. If only she'd told him sooner, then she might not be in this hell. _Might _not. That was, assuming he felt the same way. Which the chances thereof were nil. But she could still hope.

In a way, she was living the poem. She was seeing Eternity, but it was untouchable. If she went to Syaoran, there was more than a good chance that he could get hurt. Or worse, he wouldn't believe her. And that would kill her.

It was like a ring of endless light, but there were two things that could happen if she touched it. Either it would accept her, or the light would be too bright and she'd be blinded, and sent back. It wasn't a risk she was willing to take.

"Your essays are due Monday," the teacher said crisply. "Class dismissed."

With a sigh, she gathered her books and stood, her back protesting. She bit her tongue, saying nothing, and walked out the door silently. Silence was her only way. If she said nothing, maybe it would all go away

"Sakura?" Somebody pushed their way through the crowd–Yamazaki. "I was gone yesterday. What was the homework for Chemistry?"

"Oh–um, we had to-to write a lab on Wednesday's experiment, and it's due Tuesday," she stammered. If Ueno saw her talking to someone

"Okay, thanks." He vanished, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

"Flirting with him again?" An icy voice demanded behind her.

"U-Ueno!" She gasped, whirling around. "No, I-"

"You were flirting," he said coldly, seizing her wrist. "Don't lie to me, whore."

"No!" She squirmed, thinking he wouldn't try to hurt her in a crowded hallway. "I'm not lying! Let me go!"

His eyes narrowed. Giving her a Just you wait, we aren't even close to done,' look, he released her, then quickly shoved her down.

The edge of the locker row dug into the muscle just below her shoulder blade as she toppled to the ground. She bit back a cry of pain as agony shot through her spine. 

"Hey!" A girl rushed to her side, glaring fiercely at Ueno. "Why'd you do that?"

"What?" he asked innocently, kneeling by her with a fake worried look. 

"You pushed her!" the blonde accused. "I saw you!"

"You must have been mistaken," he said blandly. "She tripped. Why would I hurt my own girlfriend?"

Sakura tried to sit up, but another pang lanced down her back. A small groan escaped her lips as she fell, the tile painfully cold against her skin.

"Don't try to move," the girl advised, ignoring Ueno as he knelt beside her, a false expression of concern plastered on his features. "I think you've really hurt your back."

"I won't argue with that," she whispered through gritted teeth. "I can't believe I was so clumsy."

"Can someone get the nurse?" The girl asked. "Or help me get her to there?"

"I've got her." A warm, comforting voice echoed above her as the room started spinning dizzily. Careful arms lifted her off the ground, somehow managing to not hurt her as she passed out.

Syaoran watched Sakura carefully as she rested on the hospital bed. She hadn't woken up since she'd fainted in his arms. _What is going on? Something's going on, and I want to know what it is _now. _She doesn't just fall all over the place like this._

Something was up; and he didn't like that one bit.

The doctor hustled in, and he, Tomoyo, and Ueno snapped to attention. Tomoyo was sitting between the two, and it was a good thing. Syaoran like Eriol more than he liked that moron, although he wasn't sure whether it was because he'd asked Sakura out or just instinct.

Of course, for the most part his instincts were almost too accurate.

"She's sprained her back pretty badly," the doctor said briskly. "I think she'll need a brace for a few weeks, and she won't be leaving here tonight, that's for sure."

"How long will it take for her to recover?" Tomoyo asked.

The doctor rubbed his chin wryly. "Well, for anyone else I'd say about a month or two, but for her I'd give it about three or four weeks. She's one of the fastest healers I've ever seen. That twisted ankle a year ago just cleared up like magic."

Syaoran shot Tomoyo a look. Of the four people here, Ueno and the doctor were the only ones clueless to why exactly Sakura was such a fast healer; or at least, they were as far as he knew.

"So who's going to stay here with her?" The doctor chuckled.

"What?"

"Well, do you want her to wake up and find no one here because they didn't care enough about her to stay?" he asked wryly.

"I can't," Ueno said. "I've got a big test tomorrow and I've got to study."

"Me too," Tomoyo said, upset. "And Touya and Mr. Kinomoto aren't home."

"I'll stay," Syaoran said blandly. "I'm already taken care of." He had already finished his homework, and Wei had gone as soon as he'd turned sixteen. "_The future Clan leader needs to learn how to live on his own,"_ the Elders had said. And so he was living on his own.

"Will you?" Tomoyo asked happily. "Thank you. I can't afford to flunk this one, or I'd get a B+ instead of an A." She left as he shook his head ruefully. Between trying to play matchmaker and her grades, she had almost no free time. _Someone needs to get their priorities in order._

"Well, then," the doctor said cheerfully. "I'll just leave you, shall I? Let us know when she wakes up." He strode out, leaving behind a distressed seventeen-year-old and a beaten, unconscious one. 

Syaoran stared at Sakura. She was so pale now, and so fragile-lookingeven Tomoyo looked like she had a tan compared to her best friend, but he didn't think it was because of lack of sunshine. No, there was something she was hidingbut what? Even now, her face was closed and secretive, as though she knew he suspected something.

With a sigh, he gently brushed a few stray bangs away from her eyes. She might be white-faced, with dark circles under her eyes and her hair falling dully around her, but she was still the most beautiful girl in the world. And she'd always be that way to him.

But maybe not to Ueno.

Syaoran disliked--no, hated him. He didn't know why; whether it was jealousy, or just plain dislike, or for some other reason, he wasn't sure. But he still hated him. And nothing would ever change that. 

It was funny. Sakura always seemed so happy when she was with him, but it almost wasn't–wasn't real. She could act well–he knew that; was this all a play they were in, but only Sakura knew what part she was playing? Did someone else know what was wrong with her?

His eyes were filled with concern as he gazed at her. She was more important to him than she'd ever know, and he couldn't stand to see her like this. But yet, there was nothing he could do about it.

Sakura's return to consciousness was hailed by a dull ache in her back. She tried to sit up with a groan, but the pain made her cringe and lay back. "Owww"

"Are you okay?" A familiar voice asked. She blinked. Where was she? 

"Where am I?" she asked, echoing her thoughts.

"You're in the hospital." A face swam into view as she blinked in the bright light. "You sprained your back pretty badly."

"Syaoran?" She started to raise herself into a sitting position, wincing at the pain.

"Don't," he said hurriedly. "You can't really afford to mess up your back any more right now."

She started to protest, but decided against it and slowly lowered herself back down. "What happened?"

"You _tripped _and fell into the side of the lockers," he said carefully. Something was in his eyes that scared her. Did he know? "Your back was pretty hurt before then, but that pretty much sent it over the top." He paused. "Why were you still at school? If your back was hurt already, why didn't you see a doctor?"

"I–I–" she stammered, not having expected that question. "I didn't think it was that serious," she lied. It was partially true. If anyone knew

"Well it was," he said sternly. "Don't play around with this kind of thing, Sakura. Your safety isn't a game."

__

Haif only you knew this is cheese doodles next to what Ueno's done to mesafety? What safety? "I know," she said wearily. "I won't hide an injury that might be serious again, Mother."

"Good." He crossed his arms and looked away. "The doctor said you're going to have to spend the night here."

"Okay." She closed her eyes wearily, feeling sleep come over her once more.

__

At least he stays out of my dreams, she thought sadly with an inward shudder. _It's the only place I can go to get away from him_

How am I ever going to get out of this mess?

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	3. Snowfall

Scars 

Scars

Chapter Two: Snowfall

I don't own this.

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The autumn day was glorious as Sakura walked down the street, her eyes dull, her footsteps slow. Scarlet leaves rained down around her, standing out against the crisp blue sky, and a brisk wind played tag with the clouds. A bright sun shone down on the world, warming it ever so slightly in preparation for the long winter ahead. All in all, it was gorgeous.

And she saw none of it.

All she saw was the ground, now. The gray, flat sidewalk. _Is this what I'm becoming?_ she wondered sadly. _Gray, and flat and dull?_

If only she could run away from Tomoedarun away and never come back

But Ueno would only come after her. She didn't know how he would find her. 

But she knew he would if she left.

And maybe she wouldn't live through it.

Her back ached slightly. After he'd pushed her into the lockers twice, it had been hurt so badly she'd been forced into wearing a brace for a month and a half, and even now, two months later, it still occasionally bothered her.

Ueno had backed off a little since then. He hadn't hit her while she still had the brace, and for the next week afterbut then the next time she had done something he hadn't liked, she'd ended up with an ugly bruise spreading over her arm.

He'd gotten smarter. Instead of hitting her in the face, like he had once or twice, he was only striking her where she'd have to cover it. The long sleeves of the fall High School uniform hid the bruises mottling her arms all too well.

He didn't have to worry about her showing off her injuries, though. She knew all too well what could happen if she told anyone and he found out.

"Hey." 

She looked up to meet a pair of friendly brown eyes. "H-hi," she stammered, her nerves jumping. _Oh my god, what if he sees me talking to Syaoran?_

"You look like you were thinking about something pretty serious," he said casually.

"Yeah," she replied, keeping her eyes on the ground. How she hated keeping him distant like this; all she wanted was to pour it all out to _anyone_ who would listen, anyone who would understand. 

All she wanted was real love.

But that wasn't going to happen with Ueno; she didn't want it from _him._

They walked in silence for a few minutes. It was so odd that all the things she wanted to tell him were things she could never say; how odd it was that she couldn't because of Ueno.

Ueno had destroyed her life.

What would happen if she told Syaoran? Would he believe her? What if he didn't?

What if he did? What would he do?

She wanted to tell him. She wanted to be in his arms like she'd been when she'd been rejected by Yukito. She wanted just to be with him.

But as long as Ueno had his claws in her, that would never happen.

They reached her house, and she said, "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah." He walked away as she went up the steps and into the house.

__

What is going on? Syaoran wondered hopelessly. _I think I'm going to go crazy! Three months–three months, and she still won't talk to me–and I still don't know who it is!_

Life was not fair.

She seemed okay. Still quiet, and still holding back, but okay. 

She just wasn't talking to anybody.

__

Thwack!

There was a dull thud as he punched the bag again. _Tomoyo doesn't have any idea who it is, eitherso how the hell am I going to find out? I can't just stand around and wait for whoever it was to get caught!_

And Ueno

The guy was a creep. He didn't know what Sakura saw in him, whether it was something he couldn't see or something that no one saw other than her. 

Or maybe it was something that didn't exist.

Butsomething had changed her. Something had changed _in_ her. 

She had always talked to him. Sometimes, she'd said things that he hadn't wanted to hear, but he wanted to be there for her, so he'd listened anyway. 

He couldn't quite put his finger on it–what it was that had changed. _She hasn't lost all of herher Sakura-ness, _he thought. _But it's like she'sshe's lost hope. Or most of it._

Bent, but not broken.

That notion made him stop the rain of blows he'd been throwing at the punching bag. It was the only thing that really helped; that and pretending it was Ueno

__

But bent? By what?

What IS it?

He ran a hand through wild, sweat-damp hair and went to stand at the window. Frustration was never good for him, but this was going beyond normal

Syaoran knelt in the hall after school once more. It was early winter now; the leaves had vanished and the trees were stark black-brown skeletons against gray skies. Ever since the time he'd found the dent in his locker a few months ago, he'd learned to know when _they_ had been there. Or more accurately, whenever the mysterious girl was attacked.

Today, the fear, bitter and angry, was so thick he could almost taste it. Fear; mingled with frustration, sadness, dread, and anger. 

No one was in the hall. He frowned, reaching out with magic and feeling for anyone near enough to stumble across him in the middle of the spell. He was safe; almost everyone was gone.

There was a soft flash of light as the scene started to play out once more, the figures too hazy for him to make out, the voices distorted and wavering.

__

"Where were you at lunch?"

"I was eating with–with friends," the girl said weakly. "I didn't see you."

"We always eat lunch together." Even with the time warp, the soft, dangerous tone was clearly conveyed. "Always."

"I'm sorry–"

"Don't lie!" He shoved her down. "You were avoiding me, weren't you?"

"No–" She tried to shield herself with her arms, but he viciously backhanded her and she fell back. There was a soft but audible crack as her forehead came down on the cold floor.

"Don't hide from me," he said lowly. "You can't hide from me. I'm watching you."

"I–I'm not–trying to hide–from you!" she panted, a thin trickle of blood falling down her face. 

"DON'T LIE TO ME, BITCH!" He picked her up by the shoulders and slammed her into the lockers. She let out a small gasp of surprise and pain, but didn't make any other noise, taking the punishment silently.

He let her go, and she slid to the floor weakly as he strode away.

Sickened, Syaoran straightened and stood. This was getting worse by the minute

Sakura stood in front of her mirror, gingerly feeling the wide bruise across her face. _If the magic doesn't work, I'll have to lie about it tomorrow_

Damn you, Ueno.

White magic flickered around her fingers, and the mottled purple mark that marred her cheek slowly faded. She sat down hard on the bed, exhausted. Of all the magics she knew, healing herself was the hardest, and face wounds were the worst. _I can't heal the cutbut my bangs will hide it anyway_

With a sigh, she leaned back, feeling her new bruises all too well. _What if I tried to break up with him?_

He'd kill me. I really think he'd kill me.

Her chin trembled, and a tear fell down her face, followed by another.

There was a knock on the door. "Dinner, kaijuu."

She sniffed quietly and swiftly rubbed a hand over her face. "Coming." Taking a deep breath, she tried to calm her nerves. If anyone found out, he'd kill her.

It was a dangerous game she was playing–dangerous and deadly. One wrong step, and she lost.

So until there was a way out, she'd have to watch where she walked.

__

But when?

When will there be a way out?

Maybe

Maybe never.

Her eyes lost the watery shine; but the lump in the back of her throat didn't go away.

"I'm leaving in a week."

Sakura stared at Ueno, not sure if she'd understood him correctly. "What?"

He appeared to mistake her surprise for tribulation. "I'm going on vacation for two weeks," he said patiently. His mouth was twisted in a gentle smile, his overall manner gentlemanly and kind. He looked calm, sympathetic, and caring.

__

Two weeks? Two weeks without him?

"You'll be gone–for two weeks?" she asked incredulously.

"It won't be that bad," he said. His eyes looked somewhat warm, but she could see through the mock heat and to their true, icy cores. "I'm leaving in a week."

"Oh." She sat back, trying to let her thoughts settle. Two whole weeks. It was the first break she'd had from him since–since–She couldn't remember the last time he'd left her alone for more than a day. 

Two weeks, free of fear and pain. It was almost too much.

"I gotta go ask the coach something." He stood up.

She nodded numbly as he strode away, then got up, clearing away the remains of her lunch. 

__

What if–what if I told Syaoran?

He would get mad, part of her said. _He's my friend, so if I get hurt, he gets mad, and if Ueno hears we've been hanging out together, both of us could be in trouble._

Ueno's got a perfect record, too. If I tell anyone, he can just point out that I've been falling a lot lately, and the bruises could've come from anywhere. He could say we broke up, and I was trying to get revenge on him.

But two weeks

__

I won't think about it, she decided. _I've got two weeks free of Ueno, and I'm going to try to repair all the damage he made me make._

Starting with friendships

"Tomoyo?"

The violet-haired girl looked up, startled. "Sakura?"

Her friend smiled briefly. "Long time, nospeak."

"Yeah." She blinked. "What kept you?"

"I've been really busy," she lied. "You know, with track, and then the math sessions with Mrs. Shigetaka."

"Oh." Tomoyo took a closer look at her friend and disliked what she saw. Deep circles under the eyes; pain reflected ever-so-slightly in the double pools of green; a face pale, though from what she could not tell. _Exhaustion? Worry? Stress?_

Or all of the above?

"How's Calculus going?" she asked, trying to keep her mind away from that. 

"Okay." Sakura sighed. Just because math had always been her least favorite subject didn't mean she wasn't any good at it. "I'm having a tough time with all the theorems, though. It drives me crazy. What about art for you? How many have you sold now?"

Tomoyo smiled. "I think around five or six, nothing big." Suddenly, she grinned widely. "You know, I haven't made you an outfit in _years,_ Sakura."

"I was hoping you'd forgotten that," she moaned.

"Forget my best friend's conquests of the forces of good and evil?" Tomoyo pretended to be shocked. "Nothing would ever make me forsake that!"

"What about Eriol?"  
"Well, um, uhhe doesn't count!"

"I'm offended. You'd give up your best friend for a sociopath reincarnation of a magician who lives in _England._ And he probably votes Tory, too."

"He does not!"

"Did he tell you?" At Tomoyo's blush, Sakura grinned. 

__

This is almost like old times

Ueno was gone by Thursday; he'd left his mark on Sakura, ensuring she wouldn't forget him. 

Her eyes filled with tears of pain as she examined the quickly-swelling gash across the top of her forehead. It would probably bruise, but _If I use too much healing magic, Syaoran will notice_

She'd have to leave it alone, other than cleaning it. _My bangs will cover it,_ she decided, letting them fall over her eyes once more. _It could have been worse._

And on the plus side, I've got two whole weeks of no Ueno.

If only it were longer

Syaoran stared at the mirror, studying what he saw–or at least, what he saw in his mind: Sakura. 

__

She talked to me, he thought confusedly. _She didn't look like she was–was **scared** or anything. Why?_

Was she going back to normal again?  
If so, why? What was making her change back?

__

Ueno's gone for the next two weeks, a voice reminded him in the back of his head. _Could that be it?_

Oh, yeah, girls just **love** it when they have to spend fourteen days away from their boyfriends.

But what if it _was_ because he was gone?

Then something had to be up.

__

You're being paranoid. Honestly, you'd think **anyone** was evil if they were going out with Sakura instead of you.

But still

He scowled. It had happened again, too, and between two things he couldn't do anything about, he was going crazy. 

__

"Don't forget," the boy snarled. The girl sat up, a stream of blood streaking down the side of her face as he stalked away. She held a hand under her bangs, and when it was taken away, he could see the scarlet stains.

That was all he had seen–but it was enough to make him infuriated once more.

__

I **hate** being helpless

Sakura leaned back against the wall of the school. Was she actually _happy?_ Was it actually possible? 

__

Of course it is, her mind said bitterly. _Ueno's gone, remember?_

She shook her head, trying to get rid of any thoughts about him. What was much more important was the fact that she was actually starting to live normally again. Okay, so maybe it'd only be for two weeks, but still

__

I think I'd better check that cut. She slipped into the girl's bathroom and made sure no one was inside, then lifted her bangs. The skin around the angry gash was mottled red, looking almost infected. Taking a paper towel, she held it under the cool stream of water, then dabbed at the wound, gritting her teeth at the pain. _It's not healing up like it should be_

She threw the damp brown wad into the trash can with a disgusted sigh, walking out the door. 

The icy breeze cut through her blazer like a knife, chilling her to the bone. Shaking, she made her way home. She and Tomoyo were going to the movies that night; the next day was an inservice day, so they didn't have to worry about getting a good night's sleep. 

Something cold and light skipped across her face, and to her surprise, instead of flinching, she laughed at the tickle. Glancing up, she watched in surprise as first a few grainy flakes of snow drifted down, then more. Soon, they were swirling around her like a flock of miniature swans, lacy and delicate.

Her laugh rang through the quiet, and she was surprised at the sound. _When was the last time I laughed?_

I've forgotten

Smiling–_smiling!_–she ran down the sidewalk, pulling off her coat and throwing it over her head to shield her from the snow flurries. Her soft footsteps were the only sound heard in the newly-white world.

__

It's like everything's been reborn

A sudden thought made her stop in her tracks. _It's been almost a year. Almost a year since–since **he** asked me out._

Then, something else occurred to her, as she gazed out at the fresh snow, still sweeping down over Tomoeda.

__

If the world can be reborn like thismaybe I can too. Maybe this is–maybe it's a second chance.

I have two weeks without Ueno. I'll think of **something**.

Anything.

But a small spark of hope was kindled within her. The hope shone through her soul and came out in a new glitter, returned to her eyes.

And, laughing, she ran home.

"Sakura, instead of walking home, why don't you spend the night at my house?" Tomoyo's voice was only slightly distorted in the phone lines. "It's too cold for you to be out there by yourself. And maybe I'll invite Syaoran over, and leave you two alone. How does that sound?"

Sakura prayed to any listening deity that her brother was not listening on the extra line. "TOMOYO!"

"I'm just kidding." Tomoyo sighed regretfully. "Although it _would_ be _so_ kawaii if you two _ever_ hooked up"

"Tomoyo, I've got a boyfriend," she reminded her, trying to keep any bitterness from her voice.

"Wellyou can just dump him and go out with Syaoran! He's crazy about you, you know."

She blushed a bright red. "Tomoyo, that isn't funny! I thought only Yamazaki was the one who lies!"

"I'm not kidding. But anyway, why don't you spend the night over here instead of walking home?"

"Is that okay?"

"Of course it is!"

"Hey, why don't we go sledding tomorrow?" Kero pushed her away from the mouthpiece and seized the phone. "I've never tried it in my true form!"

There was silence as both girls pictured that for a minute; then laughter from both sides of the line.

"What?" he asked defensively.

"Nothing. Give me that." Sakura snatched the phone back. "Sounds great, Tomoyo. Should I take my stuff with me or will we stop by my house on the way back?"

"We'll stop by your house–no–wait–I CAN MAKE YOU A SLEDDING OUTFIT!"

"Tomo_yoooo!_"

"And it'll be frilly and really, really, really pink, and–AND IT'LL HAVE PUFFY SLEEVES!"

"Tomoyo, I am perfectly able to bring my own winter clothes, thank you very much."

"And I can video tape it all"

Sakura merely shook her head. Some things never changed.

In the end, she was able to convince Tomoyo that _no,_ she did not need a new outfit for sledding, _yes,_ she could bring her own gear, and that _no,_ it most definitely could not be taped. 

"I'll be back sometime tomorrow afternoon," she yelled to her father.

"Okay, honey"

She sighed. As of late, those old scrolls had taken up too much of his time; her father spent almost all of his time locked up in the study, translating them.

The thick coat she wore was a lot warmer than the blazer she'd had on, which was a comfort. Snow fell all around her, softening the world. Street lights caught fat flakes as they drifted down, momentarily illuminating them. 

The soft footfalls, crunching in the snow, were the only noise down the entire street. Lights on in some of the houses; others dark, like sleeping giants. 

Sakura tilted her head back, her mouth open, and caught a snowflake on her tongue. The ice quickly turned to water and trickled down her throat; the chill of the air helped ease her cut, where it ached with a hot pain. 

She took a quick look to make sure no one was watching, then closed her eyes and pirouetted down the white-thickened sidewalk. If anyone had looked out their window right then, they would have seen a strange young girl, twirling down the sidewalk, snowflakes in her hair and an oddly joyful expression on her face–like she was free for the first time in an eternity.

When Sakura reached the theater, Tomoyo was just pulling up in her limo. 

"Sakura!" She waved, a pout breaking onto her face. "Are you _sure_ I can't make you an outfit?"

"Positive, Tomoyo," she said firmly, falling in step with her as they sauntered into the theater.

Tomoyo glanced over at where her friend was sleeping on the floor. Sakura's breath was even and quiet, which could only mean that she was out like a light.

__

Sakura, what's happened to you? she wondered sadly. _You were so happyand now you're almost the same again, but there's still something bothering you, and I'm not the only one who can tell_

If only you knew Syaoran loves you so much, and you still don't seeWhatever it is that's hurting you, Sakura, he'd protect you from it if you only told him

She closed her eyes, trying to fall asleep.

"Sledding time!"

Sakura blinked, then scowled at the yellow face in front of her eyes. "Kero, it isn't even morning yet."

"It is too!" He dropped the clock on her stomach, and she groggily picked it up. "It's exactly 9:36 in the morning, lazy."

"Spiffy." She dropped it on the floor and rolled over, clenching her eyes shut.

There were a few mumbled curses, and then silence.

__

It's quiet. **Too** quiet.

"SAKURA, WAKE UP!"

She yelped in shock, sitting bolt upright, then seized the bullhorn and whacked Kero over the head with it. "Don't _ever_ do that again! I nearly lost an eardrum!"

He floated to the ground, swirly-eyed, as Tomoyo dazedly sat up in her sleeping bag nearby. "What's going on?"

"Kero decided to be my wake-up call," she replied dryly, a scowl on her face.

"Oh. Well, we might as well get a move on." Tomoyo got out of her sleeping bag and started folding it up.

__

I hate morning people

Syaoran's a morning person, another part of her mind reminded her. _But you don't hate **him.**_

Ignoring it, she started to get up too.

"We'll be back in a little while," Tomoyo called, shutting the door behind her. Icicles now hung from the trees and gutters, making the outside world even more magical than usual. 

Sakura's breath fogged in front of her as she stared at the sky, watching the white flakes still drift down, like someone shaking down from the clouds. _There's nothing quite as beautiful as a snowy day_ she reflected. Everything was quiet; it was utter calm; serenity and peace seemed to rule all.

__

Whap!

Something cold and wet smacked into the side of her face as she yelped in shock, then turned and glared at the floating teddy bear. "Kero!" 

A sudden grin spread across her face, and she scooped up a handful of snow, then chucked it at him. He was immediately flattened.

"Snowball fight!" Tomoyo yelled.

Kero used his magics to hurl snowballs at the girls while they threw them at him and at each other. In a matter of minutes, what had been a smooth blanket of white covering the Daidouji residence open front yard was now a churned battlefield. Volleys of snow missiles were launched all over the place, their targets random. Soon, both Tomoyo and Kero turned on Sakura, and she was chased all around the front yard, shrieking with laughter. 

Turning, she swept up a fistful of the icy slush and hurled it at them, but it missed by a long shot and fell, in a slow arc, towards someone coming down the sidewalk.

"Uh oh," said Tomoyo.

"Oh, _shit_!" said Kero.

"Look out!" Sakura yelled frantically.

__

Sploosh!

Syaoran stood on the sidewalk, blinking through rivulets of slush spurting from the new pile of sleet decorating the top of his head.

"Umhi?" Sakura said weakly.

Shaking it off, he grinned, then picked up another handful and lobbed it at her. "Hi."

"Get him!" Kero yelled, sending dozens of snowballs hurtling towards him.

In a minute, everybody was throwing snowballs at everybody and not even looking to see whether they hit or not. 

__

I haven't had this much fun in such a long time

Sakura launched a snowball at Kero, and he laughed wickedly, then glowed gold. Sakura gasped as she was lifted off her feet and deposited in a snow bank near a tree. To add insult to injury, the minute she sat up another pile of snow, which had been shaken loose, dumped itself on her from one of the tree branches.

Poking her head out from the mound, she glared at Kero, scowling. "That was cheating," she accused.

"Me? Cheat? No way." He dropped a snowball on her head.

"That's it, you little–"

She stood up and started chasing him around the yard. About to catch him by his tufted tail, she was stopped as a pair of arms seized her around the waist and dropped her, once more, into a snow bank.

"Okay, this is _so_ not fair," she said as soon as she'd managed to get her head clear of the snow. "Since when do you take _his_ side?"

"No comment," Syaoran replied with a grin.

Sighing, she pushed sopping wet hair away from her eyes and stood up.

Syaoran caught her arm suddenly, staring at her forehead, and she remembered too late the cut she had. "Sakura–where'd you–" His eyes widened in shock as he let go. "It'syou–isn't it?" he asked slowly. "You're the one who–then that means it's _Ueno_–"

She stared, dumbstruck. He knew. Somehow, he knew. But _how?_

More importantly, what was she going to do?

__

I can't let him get hurt–he knows, and he might confront Ueno when he gets back–

I don't know what to do!

She did the only thing she could do right then.

Whirling, Sakura ran home.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Okay, a really, really, REALLY big thanks to all you people out there who reviewed! I know it took me a while to get this up, and I was seriously considering not finishing this, but then I read my reviews, and you guys made me remember what it's like to read an unfinished story! I think I'll go with one last chapter after this (probably on the short side, gomen nasai -_-;) and thenI may keep on writing more stories on this pen name, I may not. I know I'll be changing this name a LOT too, just for fun. If you want to know, some names I may use are: The Mildly Irritated Hatter, Little Evil Sheep of Doom, Steel Butterfly, Tora-Hime, Psycho Shinju, AoMidori, and Tatsu Kurai. Keep an eye out! ~_^


	4. I Know Your Secret

Scars 

Scars

Chapter Three: I Know Your Secret

Okay, this is the next chapter. Sorry it's taken so long, but I was suffering from immense writer's block and couldn't think of how to write this. The lyrics to 'Never Again' belong to Nickelback and whatever record company owns them, NOT me.

Still don't own this.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Sakura pounded up the stairs in the empty house, then shut herself into her room and locked the door. 

__

This can't be happening. This absolutely can **not** be happening.

But it was.

Syaoran knew somehow that Ueno was beating her. He knew. He _knew._

__

I don't know what to do! What—what do I—I don't know!

It was inevitable. The Erase wouldn't take the memories of people with magic; he had told her that long ago. So he'd confront Ueno.

__

Oh my god, I don't want Syaoran hurt—

But he _would_ confront Ueno. After seven years of knowing him, she expected no less. 

And someone would get hurt. Ueno was unpredictable; he could even—

Even try to kill Syaoran.

__

That can't happen!

I have a week and a half to solve this, she thought hurriedly. _There's gotta be some way to keep anything from happening._

But what if there wasn't?

__

There **has** to be a way.

Holding back tears, she leaned against the door and slid down to the carpet, burying her face in her hands.

He tried to look for her. Five times, the doorbell rang. Five times, she waited, hidden in her room and hardly daring to breathe, until the ringing stopped. There was no way she could face Syaoran right now; he'd want to know why she hadn't talked to him, why she hadn't broken up with Ueno, how long it had been going on.

But she wasn't ready to talk about it. After twelve months—three hundred and sixty-five days—of silence, she wasn't ready. 

So instead, she hid.

The phone rang. She ignored it. It rang again, then again and again. Each time the caller hung up when the answering machine came on. Then, while she was listening idly and wondering how many times he'd try to call her, the answering machine came on and he didn't hang up.

"Hello, you've reached the Kinomoto residence. We aren't here right now, but you can leave a message after the beep."

__

Beep.

He isn't hanging up yet?

"Sakura, I know you're hearing this, because you're in your house right now." 

She blinked and straightened.

"Please, Sakura," Tomoyo asked. "We want to talk to you."

For more than a minute, she was tempted to pick up the phone.

"We can help you, Sakura! What Ueno's doing to you is _wrong_ and needs to stop!"

There was silence as her hand moved toward the receiver. A few inches away from it, it halted, then fell limply back to the couch where Sakura was curled up. _I won't drag them in. This is my problem._

She sighed. "Sakura, _talk to me!_" When no response came, there was a click, and quiet. 

Sakura erased the message and went back to her room.

__

Wham!

Syaoran pounded the punching bag, trying to work out some of his anger.

The problem was, he was getting angrier by the minute.

The more he thought about it, the more infuriated he got. And the more sense it made.

__

Sakura's been stressed and scared lately because of that—that—

He couldn't think of a name dirty enough to refer to Ueno.

__

And she wasn't talking to me or any of the other guys because Ueno would say she was flirting—

Wham!

And she couldn't be with her friends because he'd say she was avoiding him—

Wham!

And he—he's hurt her like I saw—

WHAM!

At that thought, the punching bag flew off its line and into a wall. The very notion of that son of a bitch hitting Sakura made him angrier than anything. The fact that Ueno had actually done it didn't help his temper either. 

__

Why won't she talk to us?

She's been hiding this for god-knows-how-long, the rational part of his mind said. _If I were her, I'd be scared._

But still

This can't keep going on. 

If Ueno gets within fifty feet of her I swear I'll kill him. 

His fist tightened as he stared out the window grimly, eyes narrowed.

Sakura waited nervously for the bus heading to the library. Even if her secret was out, she still had assignments to take care of over winter break. _I need to write that Chemistry paper on Carbon bonding, and then in History there's the essay on Charlemagne_

The bus pulled up and she got on, sitting in an empty sit and staring blankly out the window.

Music was coming from someone's headphones, turned up too loud.

__

He's drunk again, it's time to fight 

She must have done something wrong tonight 

The living room becomes a boxing ring 

It's time to run when you see him 

Clenching his hands 

She's just a woman 

Never Again 

Sakura took a deep, shuddering breath and tried to ignore it.

__

I hear her scream, from down the hall 

Amazing she can even talk at all 

She cries to me

Go back to bed 

I'm terrified that she'll wind up 

Dead in his hands, She's just a woman 

Never Again 

Been there before, but not like this 

Seen it before, but not like this 

Never before have I ever 

Seen it this bad 

She's just a woman 

Never Again 

The song was so—so—

So real.

It was happening to her.

__

Just tell the nurse, you slipped and fell 

It starts to sting as it starts to swell 

She looks at you, she wants the truth 

It's right out there in the waiting room 

With those hands 

Lookin just as sweet as he can 

Never Again 

Her eyes widened—how could it be happening? How could a song know everything like this? How could it know that she lied, all those times, and Ueno, looking so innocent and yet so not—

The bus came to a halt and she stumbled off, unable to take another minute. The music was too much.

It all was too much, too fast.

Blindly, she made her way down the sidewalk, desperately trying to hold on to the one last thing in her life that remained the same. She would have school at the end of Winter break, and her homework needed to be done.

__

The library. I need to get to the library

Red brick loomed into view, and she pushed a door open, slipping inside like a shadow—a shadow of what she had once been.

Soon, she was seated by a window, trying to think about the way Carbon bonds formed and failing. The world seemed to be spinning wildly out of control, and the homework was her only anchor—the only thing that never changed. But today, and for a long time, she could not concentrate on it.

The page blurred and wavered in her vision, her weak grasp on reality slipping. Life, deathwere they just the same thing? There seemed to be no difference for her.

"Hey."

The single word shattered the walls of illusion around her, and she snapped to attention. Looking up, she saw the one thing she least wanted to see then.

"U-Ueno!"

His eyes glinted coldly, as hard and frigid as ice. "Came back early. Heard you missed me."

She opened her mouth, but no sound came out.

"Come on." He grabbed her roughly by the elbow and hauled her to her feet. "Let's talk outside."

She numbly went along, making her feet move somehow. The walls of books disappeared, replaced by the dank, cold walls of the back of the library. Her breath steamed in the icy air, as did his, and his fingernails dug into her arm. No one could see them here.

"So," he hissed, "the minute I leave, you're off, flirting with every other person possible."

__

"What?!" she gasped, knowing what was coming. She tried to break free, but his iron hold tightened.

"You _whore,_" he accused. "You're just a slut, going after _anyone_."

"No—"

"Don't you _dare_ lie to me!" he screamed. "I've seen the way you look at Li! I turn my back for _three_ days and you're practically screwing the son of a bitch!"

"No!" she insisted, terrified.

"Play time's over, bitch." He struck her across the face—then grabbed her shirt. "You're mine."

__

His—oh my god, he can't mean—

"Don't—Ueno, please—"

Tears rolled down her face as she thrashed, unable to get free.

"Please—no—"

__

He's going to rape me—oh my god—

"Stop moving!" he yelled, his eyes crazy. There was a click, and a metallic glint, and then something was set against her temple. 

It was a gun.

"Don't you move," he said, his voice harsh. "Don't you say a word."

A salty drop fell and froze onto the sidewalk.

Anger started to build in her. This was _not_ the way she was going to die. If he was going to kill her, it was _not_ going to be this way. 

She spit in his face.

He struck her across the face again, and this time, she fell back, rolling over on the cold pavement and hitting a wall. She closed her eyes, listening to the wet _thwap_ of his soles hitting the slush-covered pavement. A hand seized her wrist and dragged her to her feet again, and the barrel of the gun was set by her eye once more.

There was a rush and something tackled Ueno. A clatter marked the fall of the gun; it spun into the wall and stopped moving, lying a few feet from where Sakura had collapsed. 

"Didn't someone ever tell you it's wrong to hit a lady?" Syaoran growled, jamming Ueno's face into the wall.

__

Father's a name you haven't earned yet 

You're just a child with a temper 

Haven't you heard "Don't hit a lady"? 

Kickin' your ass would be a pleasure 

[AN: Don't kill me, I suck at fight scenes]

Ueno threw his head back and there was a crack. Startled, Syaoran let go, but then he shoved Ueno into a pile of trash and there was a rattle as the lid fell of a can.

Syaoran's eyes traveled to where Sakura was watching, white-faced. A bruise was already starting to spread across her face, and she was speechless, unable to say a single word. 

There was a sickening crash as Ueno hit Syaoran in the back with a trash can, his eyes crazy. Syaoran staggered back. Picking up a bottle, Ueno hurled it at him, but it missed. Shards rained down from where it had struck the wall; the minute Syaoran straightened, Ueno flung dirty snow into his eyes.

Sakura watched, horrified and completely motionless.

The object Ueno pulled from his pocket was about six inches long and black. With a flick of his thumb, the blade flashed out, dim light glancing off the steel. 

Still blinded, Syaoran took a step back, unsure of what was happening. 

Ueno drew nearer, advancing towards him, the insane grin of a murderer on his face.

__

Crack!

The gunshot echoed down the alley, through the streets, reverberating in every fiber of Sakura's body. Her tormentor fell, motionless, onto the street; her shadow fell across him.

__

He's drunk again, it's time to fight 

Same old shit, just on a different night 

She grabs the gun, she's had enough 

Tonight she'll find out how f------- 

Tough is this man 

Pulls the trigger just as fast as she can 

Never Again 

She was unable to move, still holding the gun up, her arms and hands shaking violently. Her breath steamed; her eyes were blank. The stance she held was the only key to what had been going through her head—her feet were part, her shoulders back, her grip firm. 

Ueno had destroyed her life long enough. He had ripped apart her innocence; he had taken her strength and pride; he had tormented and held her down long enough. She had taken it as long as she could. It was partially her fault.

But there was no way in hell he was going to hurt someone else.

The gun fell to the ground as Syaoran took in the scene. Sakura, standing weakly, her arms falling limply to her sides and her knees collapsing. Ueno, lying on the pavement, bleeding. Trash scattered all around the alley.

__

I shot someone, _I shot someone._ Sakura covered her face with her hands, the words screaming in her mind as she rocked back and forth in the cold alleyway. Her tears had never stopped—not once. She was crying for her lost innocence; for the time she'd lost in her life, too scared to do anything; for coming so close to losing Syaoran; for those things and more. 

Syaoran knelt in front of her, holding her close and letting her cry on his shoulder. "It's over," he murmured. "It's all over."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Ueno didn't die. He survived, was tried and found guilty of Assault, Attempted Rape, and Attempted Murder, and sentenced to thirty years in prison. It wasn't long enough for either Sakura or Syaoran, but the important thing was that he was in prison, where he couldn't hurt anyone. 

Three years later, Syaoran proposed to Sakura. They were married six months later (Tomoyo designed everything). 

Four years after getting married, Sakura had a daughter. They named her Nadeshiko. 

Twelve years passed in happiness since Ueno had vanished. Nadeshiko was six when things changed.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Ueno Tsuruyama, the man found guilty of assault, attempted murder, and attempted rape, escaped from a prison. Citizens are warned to be on high alert and to report anyone who appears suspicious. He is 6'1", black-haired, blue-eyed, and considered extremely dangerous. He was last seen two days ago."

The bags of groceries fell from my arms, but I didn't even care.

Syaoran walked in behind me. His eyes widened, and I could see the words coming from the television registering. He didn't say anything, staring only at the screen.

"Mommy?"

Shiko tugged at my shirt, her brown eyes wide. "Not now, honey," I said distractedly.

"But Mommy—"

"Not now."

"But there's writing on the mirror, and it's all red!"

I whirled around and dashed down the hall, hearing Syaoran's footsteps behind me. The lights were on in the bathroom; I stared, horrified, at the letters on the mirror.

**__**

This isn't over.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


End file.
